\Clownfish/ 29 Gallon BioCube Tank

[Jersey1992]

Anyone recommend any good LFS in Champaign or Urbana, IL? I've seen a few but would like to know what you guys recommend. I would like to get a nice coral piece before I head back home to IA on Thursday.

Sailfin is pretty good. That's where we bought our hard supplies, live rock, and live sand. Haven't had any issues at all.

 

[soulpatch]

The growth of the GSP and the Xenia is why they are not in my tank. Have they become more of a nuisance to you yet? I guess the great thing about them is fast growing so instant life to new tank but the real estate they take can be annoying when you get stable and want other things. At least IMHO.

 

[\Clownfish/]

The growth of the GSP and the Xenia is why they are not in my tank. Have they become more of a nuisance to you yet? I guess the great thing about them is fast growing so instant life to new tank but the real estate they take can be annoying when you get stable and want other things. At least IMHO.

The GSP is growing fast but not too fast which is ok for now, Xenia on the other hand is growing rapidly and I do have to trim it by the end of the month. Dont really have a problem if it does go on a few places but trying to keep it clear of certain areas i will be place some other coral.

 

[Webmanny]

Beautiful corals Clownfish. I think that Frogspawn is actually an Octospawn. a.k.a. Grape Coral, but I may be wrong. They are very close in looks, behavior and care, but I just wanted to share, what I think, is the actual coral family.

Frogspawn

Octospawn

 

[\Clownfish/]

Ah I think you're correct WebManny it is an octospawn lol

 

[\Clownfish/]

Sailfin is pretty good. That's where we bought our hard supplies, live rock, and live sand. Haven't had any issues at all.

I actually went and checked it out. The fish there seemed really healthy as well as their FW fish. I was looking for some nice coral pieces but they didn't have much of a selection.

 

[JimSWreef]

Clown,

I am just a few weeks behind you it looks like... I am on day 17 of cycle and numbers are almost zero... What I am really curious about though is your QT tank. Do you have a pic?

It also sounded like you just used fresh made saltwater and ran it with a filter sponge? Did you use water from your tank at all for your QT?

Currently I have a HOB simple filter that I pulled the carbon sponge out of and will be using a simple filter sponge I have in my tank collecting bacteria. I also plan on using a small pouch of zeolite crystals... Has anyone's used these? They remove ammonia, reduce odors, clear water... Thought it might help my 10 gal QT remain ammonia free.

 

[\Clownfish/]

While my Firefish died a while back I placed a new sponge on my BioCubes filtration which I am using currently for my QT. I ran my QT for two days and monitored my ammonia, it rose for a bit but was gone the next day. The third day I placed my clownfish in but still monitored my ammonia. All I have in my QT is a heater, HOB filter and a coffee mug where the clowns like to sleep.


I used DT tank water for my QT. When my ammonia does go up a little I use an ammonia detoxifier which works very well imo.

 

[soulpatch]

Just be careful using detoxifiers if you are treating the tank as they can become a highly toxic cocktail in quick order.

All depends on your QT wants/needs. I use mine for observation only so use detoxifiers to spread out time between water changes but if I was treating I would need ot do more frequent changes since th detoxifiers would not be able to be used.

Also if you do any treating the sponges and such cant go back in the main tank. Have to treat them as a separate system. Clown I know you know this all but since others are posting in this thread thought I would throw down an NBC "Now you know"moment.

 

[\Clownfish/]

Fine with me soul, I also learn from everyone's questions :thumbsup:

 

[JimSWreef]

Thanks for the reply. Been doing a ton of research on it, just wanted to see what worked for you. Good reply Soul.

 

[\Clownfish/]

Update: I bought a fire shrimp a week ago and had molted 2 days ago. On sunday i purchased a cleaner shrimp and has been cleaning everything including the fire shrimp. The clown fish are still in QT and will keep them there for at least two more weeks before placing them in the DT. All my zoa are finally growing and splitting which is great because i want them to cover some rocks!

 

[soulpatch]

very cool. I recommend taking a look at your tank after dark to see your cleaner shrimp cleaning some of your fish and such.

My blenny was literally flipping over to allow the cleaner to hit his belly last night. Was cool to watch.

 

[\Clownfish/]

If i had any fish in there lol!!

 

[soulpatch]

oh right. How long have your clowns been in QT?

 

[\Clownfish/]

Two weeks! Seems like enternity. They were going through that fighting stage when i first put them in QT, now if i stick my hand in the tank the female clown starts nipping at me.

 

[soulpatch]

Wait till they are in your main tank and have a territory. My two charge my hand when I come into their zone of the aquarium and yet will feed out of my hand if I am in a different spot.

Last night I was feeding them from my hand and slowly drifted to their corner and the larger one just simply swam to the front glass staring at me as if he was saying F YOU LOL

 

[\Clownfish/]

LOL! Once these clowns are out of QT I'll be looking into a Royal Gramma. I have also seen people that keep a flame angel or a coral beauty in a 29 gal biocube, what do you think of that. I was also looking into te flame angel but wasnt sure about it.

 

[soulpatch]

thankfully for my wallet I am done buying fish. Now it is just corals and grow outs.

 

[ReefWreak]

LOL! Once these clowns are out of QT I'll be looking into a Royal Gramma. I have also seen people that keep a flame angel or a coral beauty in a 29 gal biocube, what do you think of that. I was also looking into te flame angel but wasnt sure about it.

I have a flame angel currently, and he's small, well fed, and doesn't look like he's growing at all. Also he picks at the rocks and sand, but I haven't seen him pick at any corals. I hear it's really a toss-up though.

I currently have a pair of clowns (who I believe to be laying eggs in a place I can't get to or see, which they guard closely, and now the male bites me if I put my hands in the tank ), a flame angel, and just recently added a McCosker Flasher Wrasse. I want to add 2 more female flasher wrasses at some point, and maybe another fish, though that would be the limit.

I'm a big proponent of less fish if you're going for a coral-dominated tank. Skimming, macro algae growth, and frequent waterchanges help, but the easiest way is just a lower bioload.

My first tank I bought used was a 24g nanocube, and it came with 13 fishes, including a small yellow tang. Fortunately the LFS owner near me was superbly knowledgeable and took in the fishes for credit and helped me get on the right path.

I think you could do ~5-6 fishes without too much trouble, especially since you have the skimmer and purigen.